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Clifton Grover Osterkamp (1892-1959)
Clifton Grover Osterkamp, the third child of Robert Osterkamp and the former Augusta Martin, was born on November 10, 1892 at the family home, 2555 Benton Street, St. Louis. The family moved to 1807A N. Jefferson Avenue in about 1904. In July 1904, Cliff nearly died in a train accident. Cliff was on a Sunday excursion train bound to Jefferson City, Missouri, when the train derailed at Labadie, just west of St. Louis. According to the July 15, 1904 edition of the Cole County (Jefferson City) Democrat, the train was traveling at 40 miles per hour when his coach separated from the rest of the train and rolled over and down the embankment supporting the tracks: ---- How Clifford (sic) Osterkamp 11-year old son of Robert Osterkamp of No. 1807 North Jefferson avenue, escaped from the wreck with his life, is remarkable. When the train jumped the track he was in the baggage coach, which was the first to leave the track after the tender was derailed. The baggage coach rolled down a fifteen foot embankment, and the boy was thrown from one end of the coach to the other. Just before he struck the end of the coach he threw out both hands and thereby broke the force of the fall. ---- Cliff, who as a young man was described as of medium height and slender, with blue eyes and brown hair, began working as a clerk for Ralston Purina Company in 1911, but continued to live with his parents at 1218 N. Sarah Street, or with his brother Fred and his wife, Emma, at 4220 Grace Avenue. About a year after his father, Robert, died, Cliff and his mother, Augusta, moved to a rented home at 4044A Kennerly Avenue. Although Cliff was in his mid-20s during World War I, he never served overseas. The Navy refused to accept him, and the Army, after inducting him on July 8, 1918, assigned him to the Camp MacArthur training camp in Waco, Texas. Cliff was made a sergeant on October 19, 1918, but was fortunate to spend much of his time there playing baseball. After Augusta died in 1923, Cliff moved back with Fred and Emma at 912 Kings Highway Park. By 1933, Cliff was the city sales manager for Ralston Purina. On August 18 of that year, he married the former Constance Waite in St. Louis. The couple took a two-week honeymoon to Colorado before settling in St. Louis. By 1939, the family lived in Kirkwood. He was a clerk for Ralston Purina throughout this time. He died in July 1959. Family Wife: Constance Osterkamp (Waite) (1909-1983) Children: Susan McConnell (Osterkamp) (b. 1935) Waite Osterkamp (b. 1939) Parents: Robert Osterkamp (1855-1915) Augusta Osterkamp (Martin) (1857-1923) Siblings: Fred Osterkamp (1885-1947) Walter R. Osterkamp (1888-1916) Grandparents: Hicke Osterkamp (1819-1889) Caroline Osterkamp (Nicolai) (1829-1884) Joseph Martin (1829-1894) Elisabeth Martin (Mueller) (c.1828-1906) Sources City of St. Louis registry of births for portion of 1892 (entry for C.G. Osterkamp). St. Louis City Directory, 1892-1915 (entries for Robert Osterkamp). Cole County (Jefferson City, Mo.) Democrat, July 15, 1904, p. 1. St. Louis City Directory, 1912-17, 1919, 1921-23, 1925 (entries for Clifton Osterkamp). St. Louis City Directory, 1915-17, 1919, 1921-23, 1925 (entries for Fred Osterkamp). St. Louis City Directory, 1916-17, 1919, 1921-23 (entries for Augusta Osterkamp). U.S. Army registration card for Clifton Osterkamp. Missouri Digital Heritage solider record for Clifton Osterkamp. U.S. Census Report, 1920 (entries for Augusta and Clifton Osterkamp). U.S. Census Report, 1930 (entries for Fred Osterkamp and family). "Constance Waite Married Friday in St. Louis, Mo.," The Lincoln (Neb.) Star, Aug. 20, 1933, p. 17. St. Louis City Directory, 1939 (entries for Clifton Osterkamp). Social Security Death Index (entry for Clifton Osterkamp). Recollections of Waite R. Osterkamp.